Two brothers who lost their father in the Christchurch terror attack have revealed he tried to save another person from the gunman in his final moments.
Haji Daoud, 71, is among the 49 people killed by accused gunman Brenton Harrison Tarrant at two mosques on New Zealand’s south island on Friday.
Omar Nabi, 43, and Yama Nabi, 45, shared photos of their elderly father outside the Christchurch District Court on Saturday where Australian-born Tarrant made a brief appearance.
The heartbroken brothers told reporters how their father had bravely attempted to protect another worshipper as bullets rained throughout the Al Noor Majid mosque.
Omar Nabi (right) and Yama Nabi (left) shared photos of their elderly father Haji Daoud, 71, who tried to protect other worshippers when Brenton Harrison Tarrant opened fire inside the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch on Friday
Omar (pictured) said his father was one of the first Muslims in New Zealand, opening the Tuam Street mosque in Christchurch, after discovering the country was a ‘slice of paradise’
The terrorists opened fire at two mosques and a hospital in Christchurch, while a bomb was also found in the city’s south
‘I got told by my best friend’s father to him, that he leaped on somebody else to save their life,’ Omar told Stuff.
Mr Nabi, a father-of-five, moved from Afghanistan to New Zealand in 1977 and set up a new life as one of the ‘first Muslims’ in the country.
But the family’s peaceful existence in the small island nation was forever changed when the brothers were told their father hadn’t survived his visit to Friday prayers.
‘I was told at 4.15pm that whoever did not make it … to the high school, they were deceased at the church, they were still there, the bodies were there,’ said Omar, who was running late.
Authorities have confirmed at least 49 people were killed in the massacre, the worst shooting in the country’s history. At least 40 were hurt, including a five-year-old girl, and a 28-year-old Australian man will face court today charged with murder.
Omar’s older brother Yama teared up recalling how he ran toward the mosque after a friend told him there had been a shooting there.
‘That’s when a brother said there was a shooting at the mosque. I went running toward (it)’, he said, before trailing off.
Omar said his father was one of the first Muslims in New Zealand, opening the Tuam Street mosque in Christchurch.
He said after discovering the country was a ‘slice of paradise’, Haji had dedicated much of his life to helping refugees.
‘He gave them free stuff, he gave them free clothing, he gave them free food.
‘He went out of his way to help them. He wouldn’t ask for a cent.
‘This is not on man, not on.’
Omar said he never would have expected this to happen in New Zealand: ‘This is New Zealand, man, multicultural … because it’s so calm and relaxed.
Australian-born extremist Brenton Tarrant (pictured), 28, is among the three suspected killers
Witnesses reported hearing dozens of shots at Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch on the country’s South Island. Pictured is a still from a live-stream of the shooting
‘We’re not like this. None of us are like this.
‘Our leading prayer is for you people, not to pray about give me a car, give me a house – no – for other people, this is what we pray for.
‘It’s my duty to make sure you get your family, your siblings, to heaven, that’s my message.’
He said about followers on the Islamic faith: ‘We’re not terrorists mate, we’re here to help every one of your guys reach paradise.’
The brothers have not had police confirmation their father is dead, just a warning he has likely died.
Omar said his feelings were ‘outrageous’ and he had come to court because he desperately wanted closure.
He hopes to take his father back to his homeland of Afghanistan. Omar said he did ‘not feel good at all’ about the uncertainty surrounding his father’s fate.
He said his father’s body was unlikely to be released to the family within 24 hours, as is Islamic custom, due to the ongoing and likely exhaustive investigation.
People taking part in a vigil at the New Zealand War Memorial on Hyde Park Corner following the mosque attacks in Christchurch
Local residents leave floral tributes at Deans Avenue near the Al Noor Mosque on March 16, 2019 in Christchurch, New Zealand. At least 49 people are confirmed dead
Floral tributes are left before dawn at Deans Avenue near the Al Noor Mosque on March 16, 2019 in Christchurch, New Zealand
A woman places flowers at a make-shift memorial near the mosque in Christchurch
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.